


The Pros and Cons of Sleeping in the Nude

by giidas (KatushkaK)



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cuddling & Snuggling, Firefighter Sidney, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-28
Updated: 2014-09-28
Packaged: 2018-02-19 03:11:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2372384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatushkaK/pseuds/giidas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>‘This is why I always say -- to anyone who will listen -- not to sleep in the nude. I mean I get why they do, but you never know, man,’ and Sid has to agree. On the other hand, what is the probability of one of your neighbours being stupid enough to set your building on fire during the night? Chief would probably know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Pros and Cons of Sleeping in the Nude

**Author's Note:**

> Firefighter!Sidney evacuating naked Geno, with feelings and fluff and cuddling. All thanks go to [this creature](genobest.tumblr.com) for making me think about it so much that I had to write it.

 

Sid is banging at the door, repeating the patented phrase of _Fire department, open the door!_ but no one is answering. Sometimes he wonders just how deeply some people sleep, missing the screaming sirens and aggressively blinking lights of their fire trucks. He is on the eight floor, granted, but he can clearly hear the sirens and the entirety of the hallway is lit in blue red white blue red white, possibly thanks to all the glass the building across the street is covered with.

He tries again, for the second time, and when he receives no response, pushes at his radio and says, 

‘Going in to check if it’s all clear.’

He busts the door open once the Chief gives him the go ahead. It flies in and bangs against the wall - Sid braces his arm to stop it from punching him in the face and trains his light down the main hallway. All the lights are off, which, considering it is 4 am, is nothing out of the ordinary. What definitely is out of the ordinary is the tall lanky figure standing in one doorway, grumbling something in a language that is decidedly not English.

‘Sir? Sir, I’m with the Fire Department and I need you to go with me,’ he approaches slowly, being mindful of the fact that he might be perceived as a threat- he did barge in through the door and if this man speaks no English…

‘Fire?’ the man responds in slightly accented but perfectly comprehensible English and Sid has to sigh in relief.

‘Yes, sir, there has been a fire reported a few floors up and we are evacuating the whole building. I need you to go with me,’ Sid says as calmly as he can.

The man steps out into the beam of light and Sid realizes he is naked. His eyes follow the man’s naked torso and then his legs and back up. No underwear, no socks, no nothing. Yep, definitely naked. When he meets the man’s eyes, he's smirking. Sid tries not to blush but he can feel his ears burning. 

‘Have time to get dressed?’ he asks and Sid thinks that’s a fair question, considering the danger to them is not imminent, but.

‘Sorry, sir, I have to follow protocol and evacuate you as quickly as possible,’ Sid replies apologetically.

‘Shoes?’ he asks then.

Sid nods and ushers him back to the front door. The man doesn’t look uncomfortable but Sid tries to imagine what he’d feel like, stepping out of his apartment naked as the day he was born and having to face all of his neighbours. At 4 am, no less.

‘You can have my jacket for the trip down?’ it should not have been a question but his voice goes kind of high and uncertain at the end. He shouldn’t be offering, he doesn’t think he’s supposed to, but.

Sid is shrugging his long protective jacket off his shoulders before the man can reply. He places it over his shoulders, letting him figure it out himself and uses his radio again.

‘One resident being escorted down from eighth. No signs of fire this low yet,’ he lets go of the button and hears the other guys and their reports, more people being evacuated from further up.

Sid is leading the way down the stairs, having the man hold on to his shoulder so he can check their surroundings and not have to worry about somehow losing him on the way down. Some of the guys are on their way up again, nodding at Sid and then looking a bit wide eyed at the dude behind him, wearing Sid’s jacket and a pair of flip flops. He can hear Nealer chuckle and say to Duper,

‘This is why I always say -- to anyone who will listen -- not to sleep in the nude. I mean I get why they do, but you never know, man,’ and Sid has to agree. On the other hand, what is the probability of one of your neighbours being stupid enough to set your building on fire during the night? Chief would probably know.

‘Sir, we’re almost down,’ he says over his shoulder because the man has been silent for what seems like too long. He doesn’t hear a reply but the fingers on his shoulder dig in to his flesh for a second. Sid takes that as answer enough.

‘They will have blankets for you there. The paramedics always have some,’ he reassures. It’s September and while the days are still warm, the nights get colder and colder. It was around 5°C when they were leaving the station. You don’t want to be standing around naked in that kind of cold. Or in just a fireman’s jacket.

They clear the building and Sid accompanies the man all the way to the paramedics. He’s about to leave him in the capable hands of Jen when his radio comes on,

‘Sid, it seems like it was just a smallish electrical fire. It’s been isolated and the guys are on it, no need to go back up,’ the Chief informs and doesn’t manage to go off the line before Sd hears the beginning of a yawn, which makes Sid smile. They’ve been on for close to 21 hours now but Sid still feels alert.

He looks over at Jen and the guy form the eight floor. Jen is handing over a blanket and the guy eyes it dubiously, shaking it out so he can see how big it is when not folded. His eyebrows travel all the way up to his hairline and he looks over at Jen.

‘Size of a hand towel,’ he says and Jen laughs.

‘We had to hand out a ton of blankets this past shift and haven’t managed to get restocked before we got this call. Sorry, sir,’ she sounds apologetic but also kind of pissed.

Sid likes Jen a lot, she’s been their squad’s paramedic for years now. Competent, quick on her feet, intelligent, with a deadly sense of humour.

‘Giroux again?’ Sid asks, joining their exchange.

‘Don't even get me started on that asshole Sidney. I am ready to kick his ass if he ever pulls this shit again,’ she replies, all humour gone from her voice, only pure rage now. Giroux is the guy who delivers supplies from the Central station to the other firehouses around Pittsburgh, and for some incomprehensible reason, he hates the 87th Firehouse with a passion.

‘I know he doesn’t like us, but this has gone far enough. I’m gonna have words with him and his supervisor when we get back,’ she turns to the guy again and adds,’I apologize again, sir.’

She leaves it at that, turning around and grabbing more of the tiny ridiculous blankets (which Sidney actually recognizes as their Firehouse’s towels, so the guy wasn’t far off) and heads for the crowd to distribute them to others who might be in need.

Sid turns to look at the guy. The poor man looks ridiculous. Sid’s jacket is long on him, reaching the middle of his thighs, but this guy is so tall it barely covers his junk. He’s holding the towel and looking at it from this angle and that, like he’s not sure it’s even worth trying something with it. Then he shrugs and tries to get it around his waist. And fails. The ends of the towel don’t meet by an inch or three and Sid has to giggle at him holding it in place with one big hand.

The guy’s eyes snap up.

‘You laughing at me?’ he says, absolutely toneless. Sid immediately stops and feels like and ass,

‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have, I-‘

‘Is okay, will teach me to sleep naked,’ and chuckles a little himself. He looks back at Sid and Sid looks at him and. He’s very cute, is the thing, but Sid can’t be ogling the people he is supposed to be protecting. And guys don’t usually react very well to being ogled, too. But this guy smiles at Sid, keeps their eyes locked.

‘Need your jacket back?’ he asks, the smile making his voice sound lighter, softer.

‘No, you can keep it for now. I won’t be going back up and I can’t have you standing around in just a hand towel,’ Sid says. The guy smirks and then looks down at the jacket, at the name on his right breast.

‘Crosby?’

‘Yes. Sidney Crosby. Sid,’ and Sid very much wishes he could bury his hands in his jacket pockets but those are on The Guy. Sid feels himself extend a hand as if it’s being drawn to The Guy on its own.

‘Evgeni Malkin. Geno. Nice to meet you,’ his hand envelops Sid’s, his grip firm. He doesn’t shake their joined hands, though, just holds Sid’s in his and runs his thumb slowly over the back of it.

Sid keeps looking up at him, doesn’t even think he’s blinking. He feels like he knows this man, knows Geno. But that’s impossible, he would have remembered someone like him if they've ever met before.

‘Yes, I - yes, it’s nice to meet you, too,’ he finally adds and Geno slowly lets go. Sid’s hand feels cold, empty, but it looks the same as it did a couple of minutes ago when he took off his gloves.

‘How long this take?’ Geno asks, making Sid look up again.

‘Oh. Shouldn’t be long now, let me check?’ Sid turns a little, always feels weird talking on the radio when there are people around, ‘Hey, chief, are we about done?’ he clicks off and waits.

‘You in a hurry there, kid?’ the Chief replies, teasing. Sid rolls his eyes. ‘I'm thinking ten minutes before we let all the tenants back up. Should be back at the station for breakfast.’

Sid turns back and looks at Geno, checking if he heard. Geno nods and then appears to be considering something, biting on his bottom lip, his eyes going from Sid’s to somewhere over Sid’s right shoulder and back. He sighs and visibly steels himself.

‘You woke me up at 4am,’ is what he says. Sid startles, because. Technically, yes, he did, even though, really, it was the fire, but.

‘Yes, I guess I did,’ he has no idea where this is going, but feels like he should play along.

‘Need to make it up to me,’ Geno continues, and his eyes are dancing as his smile threatens to break through the serious facade he put on. Sidney feels his own lips splitting into a big smile.

‘Do I?’

‘Yes,’ he says decidedly, nodding for good measure. Sid can’t help being charmed.

‘And do you have something in mind?’ and Geno is nodding before he even finishes his question.

‘Yes. You go up with me, help me get back to sleep. Or we have dinner later,’ he looks ridiculously proud of himself, nodding his head a little like he’s saying ‘yes I did good’.

Sid is kind of shocked at himself for even considering going back up with Geno, with this stranger but. There’s something, he can feel it pulling at him, the same pull he got when he was little and playing with firetrucks while his dad argued with his mom about hockey and how Sid was made for it. Sid always loved hockey, still does, but the pull towards being a firefighter? Being a Captain and having his own Firehouse one day? It was stronger than anything he felt. Up until this point, it seems.

He looks at Geno and sees all the potential there. His long arms and legs, made for cuddling, made for holding Sid down where he wants him, his big eyes full of hope and honesty that Sid could get lost in. His bare neck where Sid would bury his face when they’d hug. The plush lips that would kiss Sid’s forehead, his nose, his eyelids and his lips. Maybe this is what mom has been telling him about, how it feels to find the right person.

Sid shakes his head to clear it, he's jumping way ahead of things again, like the last time, and even though this feels different, even though it feels _right_ … He looks up and Geno’s eyes look a little lost, his smile almost gone and Sid takes a step forward, realizes what this must’ve looked like and frantically scrambles for words

‘No, no. I want to. I mean I would like to - dinner?’ he didn’t even realize how close he got, that he reached out, clutched Geno’s hand in his. He doesn’t let go. Geno is still looking a little too guarded for Sid’s tastes.

‘I would - I think I would even go up with you right now. I - this is -,’ and Geno’s hand turns in his, their fingers intertwining, ‘I'm still on shift though, so.'

‘Dinner. Pick me up here at 7pm.’ and it’s not a question so Sid doesn’t even bother answering, just smiles what is probably a too big and dumb smile and squeezes Geno’s hand.

 

The tenants are allowed back in their flats a couple of minutes after, and Geno smiles crookedly before leaving, still wearing Sid’s jacket, as if he doubts Sid would come back and needs to hold it hostage. Sid doesn’t even bat an eye, has no plans on backing out.

 

The guys chirp him something fierce but he just smiles and shakes his head, lets their weak chirps wash over him.

Fortunately there are no more calls during the last two hours of their shift. Sid feels fidgety, like he forgot to turn the stove off, or close the window, or turn off the water.

Nealer is leaving at the same time. He glances at Sid and shakes his head,

‘It’s him, isn’t it?’

Nealer has already found his right one and probably recognizes his own dumb happy face in Sid’s expression, Sid thinks.

‘Good luck. You won’t need it but all the same,’ Nealer nods and goes for his own truck.

 

Sid turns the keys in the ignition, about to head home, but. He doesn’t think he can wait until that evening, wait the 11 more hours until he sees Geno again. It’s tugging at his heart, making him drive to the apartment building they cleared only three hours ago.

 

Someone is just leaving so Sid manages to catch the door without having to ring Geno’s bell. He runs up the eight floors and jogs to apartment no. 7 before he realizes Geno might not even be home, might’ve gone to work or, well, anywhere, really. He's about to knock anyway when the door opens.

Geno is staring at him, eyes wide, mouth slightly open.

‘Hi?’ Sid offers and makes a face at himself.

‘Sid,’ Geno breathes and reaches out to clutch at Sid’s biceps. He looks Sid up and down, the confusion and surprise being replaced by wonder and happiness.

‘You came!’

‘I - yes, I said I would? I know we said dinner, but…’ and he doesn’t even know how he’d finish the sentence, so he doesn’t, just waves his free hand vaguely.

‘No, is good, is good, come in. Not allergic to dogs, I hope?’ Geno asks as he’s drawing Sid into his apartment by the grip he has on his arm.

‘No, I don’t think so?’

‘Good! I have Jeffrey, he’s with brother now, we pick him up after,’ Geno announces as he closes the door. They’re standing very close and Sid has to crane his head a little to look at Geno, who is looking right back. His smile makes Sid warm all over.

Sid’s hands lift all on their own, making their way into Geno’s open hoodie so they can press into his sides. One of Geno’s palms frames Sid’s face, the other is hovering near his neck, only the fingers touching skin, skimming it lightly, thumb gently pressing under Sid’s jaw.

‘Hello, Sid,’ Geno murmurs.

‘Hi, Geno,’ Sid replies just as quietly,

The kiss is soft and quick, made short by the way they are both smiling too hard to attempt anything more than just their lips gently brushing. It’s the best kiss Sid’s ever gotten.

‘You been awake long?’ Geno asks and Sid thinks about lying but then a yawn betrays him, makes Geno chuckle.

‘We go nap now, yes?’

‘Yes.’

Geno takes him further into his apartment - the place is quite tidy, feels lived in, smells like _home_ \- and into his bedroom. Sid feels a little bit like in a dream when Geno starts taking his hoodie off. He thumbs at the button on his jeans and shakes them down his hips, gets something thrown at him in exchange.

‘Shirt and sleep pants, not want to be naked again if Fire Department comes.’

That makes Sid laugh because yeah, the guys would never let him live that down. The pants are too long, too tight round his ass, and the shirt strains around his chest and shoulders a bit but the materials of both are soft and have some give, so Sid doesn’t worry too much. Geno gets his hoodie and pants off, staying in a shirt and dark underwear. He climbs under the sheets and holds one end up for Sid.

Sid wonders what it is that makes him not question this, not doubt how natural this all feels, like they’ve been doing this for years and not for a couple of minutes. Everyone always tells him he overthinks things, so maybe he should try to not. At least when it comes to Geno.

He climbs right next to him, pressing in close, and is almost immediately enveloped in a warm embrace. Geno’s hands go around his back, shift him even closer to Geno so their whole bodies are touching everywhere. Geno runs his palm up and down Sid’s back slowly, fingers running through Sid’s hair when his palm reaches Sid’s neck.

‘Stay?’ Geno whispers in Sid’s ear.

‘Hmm?'

‘Stay.’

‘I am, Geno.’ Sid says, low, a little confused.

‘No. Stay. Tomorrow. Next week. Next year. Stay,’ his hand is shaking a little but but his voice is full of determination and Sid. Sid can’t imagine ever leaving this man, the feeling he makes bubble up in Sid’s chest, how he makes the pull hum with contentment, finally settling. He thinks this could be something, that it already is. That it could, in time, be everything.

‘I will stay as long as you’ll have me,’ he whispers into Geno’s neck, running his fingers through Geno’s hair.

‘Always, then,’ and there is absolutely no hesitation in his voice, just certainty, pure conviction.

‘Okay.’ he places a gentle kiss on Geno’s neck, feels his limbs go heavy, relaxed. He can sleep now and Geno will wake him up when it’s time for. Stuff. Later. Geno is murmuring something into Sid’s hair though, clutching him tight for a beat, 

'я никогда не думал, что я найду тебя снова.’ his voice brakes a little and Sid hmms in question, but Geno’s hand is so soothing and when Geno says,

‘Sleep now, Sid. Is okay,’ 

Sid does.

 


End file.
